The seals on the Emperor’s Sleeping Hall were lifted, and news from outside flooded in.
The palace maids, wet nurse, and Eunuchs around Nangong Xin tentatively stepped out of the Sleeping Hall, found that no one was restricting their movement anymore. They explored the palace and brought back a piece of shocking news unanimously.
"Your Majesty, Liu’an Prince was flayed alive just half an hour ago, all male members of Liu’an’s family were beheaded, even the infants who could not speak were not spared, the females were all exiled." Someone said in horror: "They said it was the order of the Princess."
Nangong Xin was also startled, then her face turned numb, "He deserved it."
Chu Qian of Liu’an was such a creature; he was pretending to be a perfect gentleman in his youth. These years, because Chu Rong was entangled with love and neglected state affairs, he gradually rose to the occasion, even disgustingly trying to be like her. What did he think he was? He was appointed the Liu’an Prince due to his childhood association with Chu Rong and the family relations. He was full of wild ambition, his death was utterly deserved.
"Majesty, you believe that the Princess really intends to let you go, don’t you? She is not waiting for you to make a mistake to add to your crime, right?" An old wet nurse asked anxiously.
It was no wonder that she was worried. The princess was too kind to the queen, treating her well, and not making any moves to harm her. But toward the Liu’an Prince, she wielded her authority with a fury, not even sparing the child, which was completely inconsistent with being soft-hearted. If they had misunderstood her, it would be a grave error.
"What other mistakes can I make?" Nangong Xin scoffed, "Didn’t she say it? I have clipped my wings, and those who wish to escape have already dispersed and returned to their homes. Now, I am a wingless chicken, what am I capable of and where can I flee?"
Thinking about it, the old wet nurse conceded, but nonetheless she said: "It’s not really that simple. After all, the young master and the rest of the family have already gone to Dawei..."
Nangong Xin scoffed even more, "Do you think that if he learns that I wasn’t killed by Su Rong and am still alive, he will contact me? He must think of me as someone who is dead. To the dead, even the most useful are useless."
The old wet nurse sighed, "Your Majesty, what shall we do next? Shall we continue to live in the palace or leave?"
"Where can I go if I leave the palace? I will live in this palace. Chu Rong doesn’t want this sleeping palace anymore, does he? Then I’ll just live in it. He disdains me, I’ll let him disdain me until he dies." Nangong Xin said.
Seeing that she called His Majesty by his name, the old wet nurse did not admonish her as she would have in the past, but kept silent. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
The head palace maid asked, "Your Majesty, shall we live our life as we did before? Go wherever we want to go, leave the palace whenever we want to leave?"
The old wet nurse immediately retorted: "What a dream! Now that the princess has returned to the royal palace, even though His Majesty has not deposed the queen, can we still live as before? Don’t wander around without reason, if you offend the princess, be careful with your life."
"I find the princess to be a fine person." The head palace maid glanced at Nangong Xin and whispered: "When I served her tea, she drank it without checking for poison."
Nangong Xin glanced at the head palace maid, "That’s because, she knows medicine, she can detect poison. If you were to poison her, she would be able to tell at a glance."
The head palace maid was at a loss for words: "..."
Although what she said was true, the palace maid felt truly that the princess was very nice, not overbearing at all and did not behave like highborn. She would never forget that she just sat lazily on the doorstep, drinking the tea she served and chatting with the queen.
After Su Rong woke up, she asked about Zhou Gu. Upon hearing that he hadn’t returned yet, she idled her way to Nanchu King, waiting for Zhou Gu to have a meal with her at his place.
Just as she arrived at Nanchu King’s place, she met Li He who was about to leave with ledgers in his arms. Seeing her, Li He hurriedly paid his respects, "Princess! This old servant was just about to find you. I didn’t expect you to come here, it has saved this old servant a trip."
Su Rong asked: "What do you need from me?"
Li He immediately chuckled and said: "These are the accounts of the palace, and the Phoenix Seal that manages the six palaces. His majesty commanded me to give these to you."
Upon hearing this, Su Rong immediately waved her hand, "I don’t want it, you go give it to the queen."
Li He’s smile stiffened, "To the queen?"
`"Wasn’t she in charge before?" Su Rong asked.
Li He nodded, "Yes."
Su Rong said: "Well then, since she has been in charge before, let her continue to be in charge now."
Li He hesitated, "But... it was indeed her responsibility before, but that was then, this is now."
"It’s not much different from before, my father has not deposed her, naturally, this jurisdiction over the six palaces is her responsibility." Su Rong looked disdainfully at the ledger and Phoenix Seal, waved her hand to urge him, "Go quickly, go give it to the queen, tell her it’s from me."
Li He sensed the princess’s dislike for the things he carried. He hesitated, "What if the queen refuses?"
"Then tell her, to be spared from death and allowed to guard the Nangong family’s ancestral tomb, did she think it would be so easy? She has to work, she can’t freeload." After saying this, Su Rong walked away.
Li He: "..."
In the past, he was quite offensive towards the queen, who would have known that even after Nangong family fell, the queen was still standing? If he had known earlier, he would have been more gentle when delaying her on the king’s behalf.
Alas, when did this Phoenix Seal become a hot potato? The princess doesn’t want it, but it seems that he has no choice but to find the queen now.
So, Li He, carrying these items, went to see Nangong Xin.
Nangong Xin ventured no further than the palace gate, even after Su Rong lifted her banishment, she had no interest in going out. Listening to the whispers of the wet nurses and palace maid, she cut in only occasionally, her mind elsewhere considering Su Rong’s conversation with her earlier.
Yan Ruzhen’s daughter, with the exception of her appearance, truly bore little resemblance to her, her character was more akin to Chu Rong. Her sly rhetoric and shamelessness were unmatchable.
As she sat in thought, she heard footsteps approaching, a familiar series. It was Li He, the steward Eunuch from Nanchu King, his steps were unique, heavy, with an air of self-importance.
Sure enough, the head palace maid reported, "Your Majesty, it’s Eunuch Li."
As soon as her words fell, Li He’s voice rang out from outside the door, "Your Majesty the queen, this old servant Li He is here, following the princess’s command, to deliver something for you."
Nangong Xin turned to look towards the door, Li He stood respectfully at the entrance, she raised her eyebrow, "Is it poisoned wine, a dagger, or a silk scarf? Such a bother to summon Eunuch Li for."
Li He chuckled awkwardly, "Your Majesty is joking, of course not. None of these three things you mentioned."
Nangong Xin hummed, "Since it’s not, take it back with you, I don’t want gifts from her."
Li He immediately argued, "Your Majesty misunderstands, it’s the Phoenix Seal."
Nangong Xin was dumbfounded, then she scoffed even more, "Why would I need the Phoenix Seal? Get lost."
Li He: "..."
He thought to himself, this Phoenix Seal is indeed a red hot potato in his hands.
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